China has suspended Hungkar Dorje Vocational High School, a famous Tibetan school in Qinghai founded by Buddhist leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje. According to the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), the closure ends nearly two decades of efforts to preserve the Tibetan language, culture and traditional knowledge through education.The school, also known as Snowland Ancient and Modern Education Center, was established in 2008 in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It taught students the Tibetan language and provided education based on Tibetan culture and traditions. ICT said this approach is against Beijing’s education policy, which calls for Mandarin to be the main language of instruction, including in Tibetan areas.The school’s founder, Tulku Hungkar Dorje, who headed the Lungngon monastery, is said to have been forced by Chinese authorities before his death in March 2025 in suspected Chinese custody in Vietnam. According to ICT, he angered the authorities when he refused to organize a big party for Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu who was elected in Beijing during his visit to Golog. Although the school had been approved by local education authorities before it opened in July 2008, it has now been ordered to cease operations.Over the years, the institute has offered courses in Tibetan, Chinese and English. Students also received training in weaving, embroidery, Tibetan medicine, Thangka art and information technology. Former students expressed grief over the closure of the school saying that more than 1,000 people studied at the school. At one point, it had between 800 and 1,000 students, including monks, nuns and lay people, ICT said.ICT also said that the authorities have suspended the new admissions in 2024. However, Tulku Hungkar Dorje asked to allow the current students to complete their studies. Following the closure of the school, online posts and photos shared by Tibetans were removed for censorship, according to the rights group.